Resilient vehicle wheel



J. D. TERRELL.

RESILIENT VEHICLE WHEEL.

APPLICATION FILED mm]. 1921.

1,411,761. I v Patented Apr. 4, 1922.

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JULIAN D. {DEERE-LL, OF CHARLESTON, WEST VIRGINIA.

RESILIENT VEHICLE WHEEL.

Specification of Letters Patent. Patented Apr. 4-, 1922.

Application filed March 7, 1921. Serial No; 450,159.

To all whom it may concern:

Be it known that I, JULIAN D. TnnRnLL, a citizen of the United States, residing at Charleston, in they county of Kanawha and State of -West Virginia, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Re: silient Vehicle YVheels, of which the following is a specification, reference being had to the accompanying drawings.

This invention relates to vehicle wheels and particularly to a wheel capable of being applied to a vehicle so that shocks and jars received by the tread portion of the wheel are not transmitted to the hub of the Wheel.

A further object is to provide a device of this character including a hub member which is rotatably mounted on the axle of the vehicle and is operatively connected by resilient means to the tread or ground engaging portion of the wheel.

A still further object of the invention is to provide a device of this character including novel means for protecting the resilient means of the Wheel without interfering with the operation of the same.

With these and other objects in view the invention consists in the improved construction and arrangement of parts to be hereinafter more particularly described, fully claimed and illustrated in the accompanying drawings, in which:

Figure 1 is a fra mentary side elevation of a resilient vehice wheel constructed in accordance with the embodiment of the invention.

gigure 2 is a transverse sectional view, an

Figure 3 is a vertical elevation.

Referring to the drawings, 3 designates the axle of a vehicle on which the hub member 4 is mounted in the well known manner. Each end of the hub member includes an eX- tension or collar 5 substantially rectangular, each face of said collar having a groove 6 which extends laterally of said face. The periphery of the hub member is provided with a plurality of spaced sockets 7 which project from the periphery of said member, the purpose of which will be hereinafter described.

A tread member 8 is provided, said tread member having a relatively large central opening 9 greater in diameter than the diameter of the hub member 1. The tread mem her 8 has a channel 10 formed in its periphcry for the reception of a solid rubber tread 11. It will be noted that the tread member 8 is solid from its outer edge to the inner edge of the opening 9 so as to resist wind pressure and at the same time render the wheel substantial. Theside faces of the tread member are provided with a plurality of grooves 8, said grooves extending through the inner wall of 'the'tread member.

The tread member 8 is adapted to surround the hub member 4 so that the periph ery ofthe hub member isdisposed in annular spaced relation to the edge of the opening 9. The inner edge formed by the open ing 9 of the tread member 8 is provided with a plurality of spaced socket members 12. These socket members are adapted to receive one end of a coil spring 13. The springs extend between the tread member and the hub, the inner ends of said springs being disposed within the sockets 7 of the hub member. By this means the tread member is operatively connected to the hub member and so arranged that when the springs disposed at the lowest point of the wheel are.

compressed, the upper springs will be expanded and the remaining springs adjusted accordingly so that the vehicle will erly cushioned at all times.

Guard plates 14 are adapted to be disposed on each side of the wheel, each plate having a collar 15' adapted to engage the faces of the collars 5, so as to cause rotation of the plate. Projecting inwardly of each of the collars 15 is a plurality of lugs 16 adapted to be disposed in the grooves 6 of the collar 5. By this means, each plate rotates with the hub member 4:, and at the same time protects the springs 13. Projecting from the inner face of each of the plates 14 and adjacent the periphery thereof, is a plura1- ity of lugs 17 which are adapted to be slidably disposed in the grooves 8 of the tread member. It is of course obvious that the lugs 17 are smaller than the grooves 8 to allow for play during the self-adjusting operation of the wheel. At the same time the lugs 17 prevent the springs from being distorted. As shown in Figure 2, the lugs do not extend to the end wall of the grooves 8 so that there is no danger of the lugs interfering with the movement of the tread member. The plates are prevented from disengagement from the hub member 4 by means of the usual wheel securing nuts carried by the axle of the vehicle.

be prop- From the foregoing, it will be readily seen that this invention provldes a novel form of spring wheel capable of being ap-V plied to any vehicle without requiring alterations. In addition to this, the wheel provides means in the form of guard plates for not'only protecting the springs, but for assisting in the efiicientoperation of the wheel by preventin the tread member from moving any great istance independently of the hub member. 1 Whatris claimed is:

l. A- spring wheel comprising a hub member having rectangular extensions proje'cting from the side faces thereof, each extensionw having a plurality of grooves, a tread member, resilient means connecting the tread member to the hub member,platcs engaged with the side faces of the hub member, said plates having collars engaging the extensions of the hub member, saidcollars having inwardly projecting lugs extending into the grooves of the extension and a driving connection between said plates and said tread member.

2. A spring wheel comprisin a hub member having reduced rectan u ar extensions at the sides thereof each ormed with plates and tread member permitting radial -1 shifting of the tread member.

In testimony whereof I hereunto aflix my signature. v

JULIAN D. TERRELL, 

